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2. Pair of Jina India 5th c. sandstone 29 3/4 |
These two fragments probably came from the same piece and represent two Tirthankaras. The iconography concerning these spiritual guides, defined around the 5th century during the Gupta period, depicts almost all of them with the same characteristics. These are shown as naked men standing with their arms at their sides. Their powerful torso only bears one jewel. The lines of their body are fluid and the flesh appears firm and smooth. Here, each of the figures stands on a pedestal borne by two lions and with a triple dais overhead. mphasizing the concepts of non-violence and karma, Jainism is a religious movement of India whose origins date back to early antiquity. The role of the spiritual leaders of Jainism, called Tirthankaras, is to guide souls toward liberation and a release from the cycle of life and death. There are twenty-four of them. Provenance: Private collection. |